


So Happy Together

by green78



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Clexa, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, Music, because we need all the fluff we can get right now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:42:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/green78/pseuds/green78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke is a med student, Lexa is a law student, both of them play a mean guitar, and neither of them knows how to flirt. So instead of exchanging numbers at open mic night, they play songs for each other instead. Fluff, eventual smut, and a happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Imagine Me and You

**Author's Note:**

> This has been brewing in my head for awhile and what better time to post it than when we all desperately need a bit of fluff? Some of the inspiration for this came from Eliza Taylor's amazing YouTube videos of her playing guitar and singing. I'm also a sucker for music-themed stories.  
> I'd like to dedicate this story to Lexa, our beautiful Heda. May you live on through our work and may we do you justice, Commander.  
> Lastly, supercheers to Cryokina for giving the first chapter a readthrough and for cheering me on with this.

“I still can’t believe I let you drag me into this,” Clarke groaned as she traced her finger around the rim of her beer glass, her other hand barely keeping her head from dropping to the table. “I have an organic chem test at the end of the week I desperately need to study for.”

“You just said you have a whole week to study for it, so lighten up and enjoy yourself,” Octavia protested, giving her friend a light shove.

“Yeah, and you haven’t picked up your guitar in forever,” Raven chimed in.

“Exactly – I’m out of practice and I’m gonna screw up,” Clarke retorted, actually allowing her head to drop to the table this time. Somehow Raven and Octavia had convinced her that going to open mic night at Grounders coffee shop/bar was a fantastic way for her to ease some of the stress her classes had her drowning in. Clarke, having been to her fair share of open mics, knew there was a very good chance that listening to someone butcher “Wonderwall” may actually _increase_ her stress level. She was even more annoyed to find out that Octavia had the ulterior motive of staring at the muscly bartender, who kept making things worse by smiling in her direction.

“You’ll be _fine_ , Clarke; just play one of your usuals,” Octavia blew off with a dismissive wave, speaking more to the aforementioned bartender than her friend.

“I’m over here, bitch,” the blonde grouched, smacking her upside the head. Raven snickered at Octavia’s affronted look.

“Well if _you’re_ not going to sign you up, _I_ will,” the younger girl announced before storming over to the sign-up sheet near the small landing that counted as a stage.

“Octaviaaaaaaa,” Clarke whined after her before dropping her head again in resignation.

“Come on, woman up,” Raven encouraged with a hand on Clarke’s shoulder. “You brought your guitar; you might as well use it. Besides, it’ll get you a free drink voucher.”

“Yay.”

“Ok, princess, you’re good to go,” Octavia announced, sitting back down at their table. “You’re seventh on the list.”

“Oh God, I don’t think I can sit through six performances,” the blonde groaned. She would have complained more, but the first performer chose that moment to open with “Ritual Dance,” drawing the slack-jawed stares of the three girls. “Ok, maybe I can,” Clarke redacted.

***

Clarke grudgingly admitted to herself that she was indeed feeling less stressful as the performances went on, though there was one cover of “Creep” that had her convinced her ears were bleeding. She was about to joke as much to Raven and Octavia when the sight of the next performer stopped her words and most of the other functions in her brain.

At first, the only glimpse Clarke had gotten of the musician was her hair – brown and thick, tamed by intricate braids. She also couldn’t help but notice how long and shapely her legs were (the skinny jeans helped). The blonde gulped and dragged her eyes away from the girl’s ass as she plugged in her guitar. When the girl turned to ease herself onto the bar stool and Clarke was able to see her face, the blonde forgot how to breathe. The musician had fierce green eyes that even from a distance reminded Clarke of a forest in sunlight. Her expression was soft and neutral but she carried herself with confidence and a sort of strength the blonde had never seen. When the musician settled her guitar and tested the tuning, Clarke got a glimpse of the intricate tribal tattoo on her right arm.

Raven let out a low whistle. “Damn, that girl is _hot_.”

Octavia squinted at the girl as if she were trying to remember something. “I recognize her,” she realised. “She just joined my mixed martial arts class today. Had a guy pinned to the mat before Indra had finished saying ‘go.’”

“So badass _and_ musical,” Raven pondered, tapping her leg brace in thought. “Not a bad combo.”

“Hey now, she hasn’t started playing yet,” Octavia protested. “She could be absolute shit for all we know.”

“She’s not,” Clarke interjected, not having looked away from the girl once.

Octavia frowned. “How do you know?”

“I just do.” Clarke was so focused on the performer that she didn’t notice Raven and Octavia sharing a knowing smirk. All three quieted as the girl began to play.

Clarke gulped as she watched the musician’s fingers dance easily over the strings and frets of her guitar, trying not to wonder what else those fingers could do. When the girl began to sing, the blonde melted in her chair, hypnotized.

“Wow, she’s got a great voice!” Octavia noted.

“Shh,” Clarke snapped without looking away.

_“And if I only could make a deal with God and get him to swap our places,  
_ _Be running up that road, be running up that hill, be running up that building.”_

“This is a, uh, cheerful song…” Raven frowned.

 _“Shh!”_ Clarke protested again, aiming a smack at her friend and hitting Octavia instead.

“Ow! Watch it!”

Clarke didn’t notice (or care), still focused on the girl and her siren song. When she ended the performance, the blonde clapped harder than anyone else.

“Did _either_ of you catch her name?” Clarke asked Raven and Octavia with a frantic expression.

Octavia smirked. “Wow, Clarke, you look _thirsty_. Have some more beer.” The brunette snickered as Clarke aimed another smack at her.

“Next up we have Clarke Griffin,” the emcee called from the front.

“Knock ‘em dead, girl,” Raven encouraged again as Clarke sighed and picked up her guitar.

***

“Not bad,” Anya said as her sister sat back down at their table. “A little depressing for open mic, though, don’t you think?”

Lexa dismissed the woman’s comment with a wave. “‘Running Up That Hill’ is a classic. Besides, I thought it was one of your favorites.”

“It _is_ one of my favorites – when I’m feeling sad and need to listen to cathartic music.”

The brunette sighed. “Whatever. They clapped. You happy?”

Anya grinned. “Very! I can’t wait for next week.”

Lexa groaned. “You’re gonna make me do this _again_?”

“Yes, now shut up and drink.”

The musician sighed and obeyed. She was considering just chugging her beer so they could go when Anya commented, “Ooh, she’s pretty.”

Lexa glanced at the stage and nearly choked on her drink. A blonde, blue-eyed goddess with curves in all the right places was hooking up a left-handed guitar and messing with the tuning pegs. Lexa felt her stomach do funny things as she watched nimble fingers slide along the strings with instinctiveness that came from obvious years of practice. She tried not to think of where else those fingers could be sliding and had to physically shake the thoughts from her head.

Anya noticed her stunned expression and smirked. “You all right there, Lex?”

“Mm,” her sister barely responded. The blonde – Clarke, the emcee had said – began to introduce herself and her voice made the butterflies in Lexa’s stomach morph into bats.

“So, uh, this is ‘So Happy Together,’” Clarke mumbled. She noticed Octavia slump in her seat – the song was her absolute favorite to sing with Clarke. The blonde smirked. “Aaaaand I suppose Octavia can come help me with the harmony.”

Octavia punched both hands in the air with a resounding “YES!” making the audience chuckle. The grinning brunette made her way to the stage to stand behind the second mic and Lexa felt a twinge of emotion (she was surprised to recognize it as jealousy) at the sight. But when Clarke began to strum out the opening chords, she stopped caring about the other girl.

_“Imagine me and you, I do,_  
_I think about you day and night, it’s only right,_  
_To think about the girl you love and hold her tight,  
_ _So happy together…”_

Her voice was low and husky and _beautiful_. Lexa let out an unmistakable whimper and Anya barely held back a snort of laughter. Lexa didn’t notice; Clarke was more important.

When the song came to the bridge, Octavia joined in on the harmony, taking the notes an octave up to fit her voice range. Lexa had to admit that they harmonized well, but she was still paying more attention to Clarke than anything or anyone else. A missile could’ve hit the bar and she wouldn’t have noticed so long as the blonde continued her performance. When she finished the song and took a bow, Lexa clapped so hard her hands hurt.

“So, was this a good idea or what?” Anya asked her sister with feigned innocence.

“Yeah…yeah, totally,” Lexa whispered, eyeing the blonde as she left the stage with her guitar. Almost as if she sensed someone watching her, Clarke chose that moment to glance over to where Lexa was sitting.

Green locked with blue for barely a second but it was enough to make both girls’ hearts pound and breaths quicken at the sudden connection. They looked away a moment later, faces heating with embarrassment. After taking a moment to compose herself, Lexa turned to her sister. “Next Monday, right?” Anya’s smirk was downright triumphant.

On the other side of the room, Clarke was trying to appear casual as she commented to Raven and Octavia, “This was fun. We should definitely do this again next week.” Her two friends stared down the blonde with deadpan expressions that slowly gave way to grins. “All right, all _right_ ,” Clarke relented as Raven and Octavia high fived. “You were right. Happy now?” the blonde continued.

“Not until you get that girl’s number. So tell me, what song are you serenading her with next week?”

Caught, Clarke blushed a furious red. “Shut up.”


	2. I Don't Know You, But I Want You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little angsty and meta as fuck. But 99% fluff from here on out, I promise. Once again, thanks to Cryokina for giving this a once-over.

_“WHAT THE FUCK!”_

Clarke’s outburst was so sudden and explosive that Octavia nearly fell off her bed. Looking over to where Clarke was sitting, she saw that the girl was staring at her laptop and pounding her fists on her desk, tears streaming down her cheeks. Octavia rushed to her friend’s side.

“Oh, honey, what did the desk ever do to you? Besides bear the weight of excruciating amounts of homework.”

 _“They killed her!”_ Clarke shrieked, tearing out her earbuds and gesturing wildly at the screen. _“She got hit with a stray bullet for no fucking reason and now she’s dead! SHE WAS MY FAVORITE!”_

Octavia squinted at the screen. “Is that the lesbian warrior character you’re always on about?”

_“YES!”_

“Ok, ok, _breathe_ ,” Octavia soothed, rubbing her hand up and down her friend’s back. “I think you’ve watched enough of _The 99_ for today,” she continued, closing the blonde’s laptop. “Why don’t you play your guitar a little? You’ll feel better. Play the orgasm song you like,” she grinned.

“It’s _not_ an _orgasm song_ ,” Clarke grumbled. She’d made the mistake of commenting to Octavia that the guitar part for the song in question sounded “absolutely orgasmic” and her friend hadn’t let it go. To Octavia’s relief, the blonde left her chair and trudged over to her bed against the wall opposite the brunette’s. Clarke grabbed her guitar case as she went and plopped both she and it onto her comforter.

“There, see? Plaaaaay your feelings awaaaaay,” Octavia waved her hands as if casting a spell, retreating to her own bed.

“Shut up,” the blonde muttered even as she tuned her instrument. After a moment’s thought, she pulled out her sheet music and began to practice the song Octavia had been teasing her about, ignoring the other girl’s snicker. Clarke knew the brunette secretly enjoyed the song just as much, otherwise she would’ve made her displeasure loudly known (it wouldn’t be the first time). Carefully plucking the opening notes, the blonde let her mind drift away from the show she now hated and back to the girl at the bar – the one who had barely left her thoughts since. With her wild brown hair and piercing green eyes in mind, Clarke put all her care into the song she was playing, imagining that she was performing for the mystery girl.

***

The scene had barely ended when Lexa’s phone rang. Struggling to control her panicked breathing as she sobbed, the brunette fumbled with the device before holding it to her ear. “H-Hello?”

 _“Are you ok?!”_ Anya’s just-as-panicked voice came from the other end of the line. The sound eased Lexa’s tension a little, but not by much.

“Not really,” the brunette gasped, slamming her laptop closed and cutting off the most recent episode of _The 99_.

 _“If I’d had any idea I never would have let you watch it. Lex, I’m so sorry,”_ Anya soothed as best she could.

“Just hearing your voice helps,” Lexa replied, moving to her bed so she could curl up in a ball with an arm around her knees. She was lucky to have a room to herself this year; she didn’t want to have to explain her emotional outburst to anyone. “Thanks for calling.”

 _“Of course I called, baby sis. I love you.”_ A pause. _“Do you want me to come over?”_

Lexa thought for a moment. “I think I’ll be ok,” she finally answered with a shuddering sigh. “I’m just gonna play my guitar for a bit. See if I feel better.”

_“Good idea. Call me if you need anything, ok?”_

“Will do. Love you.”

 _“Love you too, Lex.”_ The words belied the depth of Anya’s worry; Lexa had heard the woman say “I love you” to her maybe two other times in her life besides the two she’d just dropped. The only other time Lexa could remember off the top of her head was the reason behind her reaction to _The 99_. The brunette had been sobbing then, too, hours after they had taken Costia off life support and let the comatose girl fade away. It had been a hit and run that had taken her girlfriend, not a stray bullet, but the senselessness of the act hit too close to home.

 _I’ll be ok…I’m gonna be ok…_ Lexa tried to tell herself after hanging up with Anya. _Get knocked down, get back up again._ Wiping her eyes, she pulled her guitar from its case and tuned it quickly. She instinctively began “Running Up That Hill,” but the opening notes of the song had her remembering open mic – remembering Clarke.

Lexa frowned. She wasn’t sure how appropriate it was to be pining for a girl in the present when she’d just moments ago been mourning her past. Idly plucking at her guitar strings for a moment, Lexa picked her phone up again and speed-dialled her sister. Anya picked up after one ring.

_“What do you need?”_

“Anya, do you think…do you think it would be ok if I moved on?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone as Anya contemplated the question. _“Is this about Clarke?”_

Lexa could almost feel her sister’s stare pinning her to the wall. “Maybe,” she shifted uncomfortably.

Anya was silent for another moment. When she spoke again, her voice was soft and reassuring. _“I don’t think Costia would have wanted you to be alone for the rest of your life.”_

“I wouldn’t be betraying her?” Lexa sniffed.

 _“I think you’d be betraying her by_ not _following your heart, Lex. What brought this on?”_ Instead of answering, Lexa strummed a few chords from “Running Up That Hill.” _“Ah,”_ her sister understood. _“Maybe you shouldn’t be thinking too hard on it now, especially after that episode. Just…play for a little, ok? And then give yourself a few more days to figure it out. You have until Monday, remember.”_

“Yeah. Thanks, Anya.”

After they said their goodbyes and hung up a second time, Lexa retrieved her laptop from her desk and pulled up Ultimate-Guitar, searching for the song she wanted. It didn’t take her long to find an accurate version and strum out the chords on the screen.

 _“Imagine me and you, I do,  
_ _I think about you day and night, it’s only right…”_

***

“Would you _sit the fuck down_?!” Octavia hissed at Clarke. It was Monday night again and the blonde was all but standing on her chair as she scanned the crowd.

“I can’t find her,” she commented worriedly, ignoring the brunette’s aggravated request. “Wait, I see – no, damn, not her.”

“Wow, princess, you’ve got it _bad_ ,” Raven commented, highly amused by her friend’s antics.

Octavia threw her hands up in defeat and kneeled on her chair for a better look herself. “One o’clock, past the guy in the 60s getup and a toupee.”

Clarke looked in the direction her friend indicated and grinned. Her mystery girl was sitting at one of the tables and talking to another girl who looked a bit older than she was. The sight of the second girl made Clarke wilt. “Think that’s her girlfriend?” she asked Octavia.

“Nah, that’s her sister. She comes to MMA class sometimes.” The brunette smirked when Clarke sighed in relief.

“Next up to the mic we have Clarke Griffin and Octavia Blake,” the emcee called.

“You ready, O?” Clarke asked her friend.

“To sing my heart out to Lincoln? Fuck yes.”

“Lincoln?” the blonde frowned.

“The bartender,” Raven clarified with a roll of her eyes. Clarke rolled her eyes in turn at the answer and grabbed both her guitar and her friend.

“Oh, like you’re not going to be crooning to _your_ lady,” Octavia protested as Clarke led her to the stage.

At the table across the room, Lexa sat up a little straighter upon hearing Clarke’s name, ignoring the presence of the blonde’s friend as they took the stage. The two conferred for a moment before hopping onto the provided stools and plugging in Clarke’s guitar. Placing her fingers on the strings, the blonde looked around the room for a moment before her eyes settled on Lexa’s. Clarke’s smile was small but triumphant as she began to play, never looking away from the brunette. Lexa’s breath caught as she held her gaze, feeling her own smile forming.

 _“I don’t know you, but I want you all the more for that,”_ Clarke began, and Lexa could tell the blonde was singing directly to her. Even when Octavia joined in with the harmony, Lexa’s focus never wavered from Clarke’s as the song went on and she let the husky sweet tones carry her away.

 _“You have suffered enough and warred with yourself.  
_ _It’s time that you won.”_

The first part of the line sent a brief twist of old pain through Lexa’s heart, but the second part soothed her again. She had suffered, yes, but maybe it _was_ time that it ended. Lexa was growing surer and surer with each note the blonde sang that Clarke would be the one to end it. The brunette felt her eyes begin to water as the song reached its conclusion.

_“Falling slowly, sing your melody, I’ll sing it loud.”_

When the final notes faded and the applause began, Lexa found herself on her feet, grinning and clapping like a child. Seeing this, Clarke’s own smile widened in surprise and delight as she unplugged her guitar and descended the stage. She would have made her way over to the brunette’s table but the emcee chose that moment to announce, “Up next is Lexa Woods.”

“Lexa,” Clarke whispered, letting the name roll over her tongue as the brunette grabbed her own guitar and took the stage. The blonde nearly tripped over several chairs in her attempt to keep her eyes on Lexa and make her way back to her seat at the same time.

“Ok, you watch your girl, I’m gonna go hit on Lincoln. Be good,” Octavia patted the blonde on the head. Clarke feebly waved her away, still gazing at Lexa.

Just as the blonde had, Lexa let her gaze sweep the room before her eyes landed on Clarke. Her own smile was shy as she began to play, strumming softly on the higher strings. It took the blonde a second to identify the song, as Lexa had changed the key, but when she did, Clarke felt herself grin as she fell even harder.

 _“The dawn is breaking, a light shining through,  
_ _You’re barely waking and I’m tangled up in you, yeah,”_

Before she realized what she was doing, Clarke had a pen in her hand and the Grounders paper placemat flipped over in front of her. As Lexa sang, Clarke’s pen flew over the paper, sketching out the lines of the brunette’s arms, the curve of the guitar, the waves of her hair. Clarke barely looked at the page to see what she was doing, she was so focused on the beautiful girl and her soft song.

 _“I somehow find you and I collide.”_ Those words in particular brought the quirk of a smile to Lexa’s lips, and Clarke’s own grin broadened at the sight. It was only as the song came to an end that Clarke glanced at her placemat and realized she’d sketched a near-perfect rendition of Lexa performing. Blushing furiously, she folded up the placemat and shoved it in her purse, even as she continued to stare at Lexa with undisguised longing.

Clarke once again clapped the hardest as Lexa took her bow, standing from her seat as the brunette had. She was just taking the first step toward her when a hand clamped down on her arm. Clarke turned from Lexa’s hopeful expression to Octavia’s frantic one.

“What the –?”

“We gotta go. Raven’s throwing up in the parking lot.”

“But – ”

“Come _on_ , Clarke!”

Clarke barely had a moment to grab her guitar as Octavia began to drag her away. Panicking, she turned to give Lexa a pleading, heartbroken look. The brunette looked just as stricken, unsure whether or not to stay or give chase. “Next week!” Clarke called to her desperately. Hearing her, Lexa nodded without looking away. Their shared gaze only broke when Clarke was dragged outside, the door shut behind her.

Lexa stared after them for a moment before trudging dejectedly to her chair and slumping down. Anya, who had observed the whole exchange, seemed to be trying her hardest not to laugh. Lexa noticed and scowled. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothin’,” Anya shrugged. “Isn’t that other girl the one from MMA class?”

“I think so, yes.”

Anya grinned. “Awesome. You can kill her then for stealing Clarke.”

“I just might,” Lexa grumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Clarke played was "Falling Slowly" from the movie _Once_ and Lexa's song was "Collide," by Howie Day. The guitar-gasm song will be revealed in time.


	3. She Makes Me Feel Nothing Else Matters

Octavia made the first move, approaching Lexa to be her sparring partner during their Saturday MMA class. Lexa eyed the girl warily as they both took fighting stances and her suspicious gaze made Octavia shift from foot to foot, uncomfortable.

“So, I’m sorry I dragged Clarke away from you on Monday night,” Octavia began as the two girls circled each other, fists raised. “Our friend Raven was getting sick in the parking lot.” She took a swing at Lexa, who dodged with expert finesse.

“Is she ok?” the older girl asked.

“She is now, yeah, but Clarke was _really_ pissed. She’s been moping all week. I can give you her number if you want.”

Lexa felt a brief swell of happiness knowing Clarke had wanted to meet her as much as she wanted to meet the blonde. “It’s ok. I’ll see her Monday.”

“Cool.” There was a very brief scuffle before Lexa slammed Octavia back on the mat. The younger girl tried her best not to groan as she got to her feet and took her stance. “You’re pretty good on guitar,” she commented.

“Thanks.” There was another flurry of blows before Octavia was down again.

“So there’s this song Clarke _really_ likes,” Octavia began a little breathlessly, winded from the smackdown. “She’s always wanted to play it at open mic, but she’s too nervous.”

Lexa frowned. “Nervous about what? And why are you telling me this?” She landed a few blows on Octavia before the younger girl was able to block and jump back.

“Well, I was thinking that maybe if _you_ knew it then you could play it for her. It’ll be the quickest way to get her attention for sure.” Octavia made several attempts on Lexa and didn’t hit once. “She’s nervous because she feels like she’d be outing herself with the song. Her ex-boyfriend was biphobic and gave her hell, so she’s a little insecure about it.”

Lexa let her fists drop a little, her heart aching for a girl she barely knew. Octavia used the momentary lapse of attention to land a blow in. The older girl had her on the mat seconds later. “So what’s the song?” Lexa inquired as Octavia staggered back to her feet.

“‘She,’ by Jen Foster,” the younger girl replied, trying to keep herself from bracing her hands on her knees.

Lexa’s eyebrows rose. She was familiar with the song; it was a blatant lesbian love song, maybe even a little intimate. “You want me to play _that song_ for a girl I haven’t even spoken to yet and out myself in the process?”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Oh, _please_. It’s pretty obvious you’re about as straight as a tilt-a-whirl. No offense.”

“None taken.” They came together in another blur of movement before springing apart again, though Octavia stumbled more than sprang.

“Look, I’m not saying you have to. I’m just saying that it might be worth the look on her face.”

Lexa paused in thought and Octavia had a wild surge of hope that her torment was over. “Ok,” the older girl decided. “I’ll do it.” They crashed together again and Octavia was thrown down one last time before Lexa turned to find her next sparring partner.

Octavia groaned, sprawled out on the mat. “You owe me _so_ big, Clarke.”

***

Monday night rolled around and Clarke was once again kneeling on her chair and scanning the crowd for Lexa. “There she is!” she gasped with excitement, spotting the girl and her sister at their usual table. “Should I go over now? Should I wait until after we’ve performed?”

“Wait until you’ve serenaded her first,” Raven teased. “Then you’ll have something to talk about.”

“I still can’t believe you want to go out with the girl who beat the absolute shit out of me,” Octavia grumbled.

“Hey, you were the one who volunteered to be her sparring partner,” Clarke noted. “It’s not her fault you need more practice.” Octavia responded with a shove to her shoulder.

Across the room, Lexa was outlining her plan to Anya. When she was done, her older sister let out a low whistle. “Damn, girl, you’re not doing anything by halves. That song takes ladyballs.”

Lexa scrunched her nose in disgust. “Thanks for that mental image.”

Anya smirked. “Hey, if you wanna out yourself to the whole room for the girl you’re crushing on, don’t let me stop you. The fallout’ll be entertaining, anyway.”

The younger girl scowled. “There will be no fallout because I have been assured that Clarke will react quite favourably to this song, so shut up.”

Anya’s smirk became a grin. “Ok, I’ll shut up and watch the chaos unfold.” She chuckled when her sister let out a long “ugh” and rolled her eyes.

The emcee called for Lexa Woods and Clarke sat up straighter in her seat, seeking out Lexa’s gaze in the crowd. Their eyes locked as the brunette made her way to the stage and Lexa smiled, giving her a shy little wave. Even that small recognition make Clarke grin and wave back. “Yeah, she’s gone,” Octavia commented to Raven, dodging the ensuing smack from Clarke. The blonde watched with rapt attention as Lexa plugged in her guitar, settled onto her stool, and began to play.

_“I’ve heard it said so many times, ‘love is blind,’ so why are you staring?_  
_You say that love is all we need, well does that apply to me?_  
_‘Cause I have found someone that I think is beautiful,  
_ _And I have fallen in love.”_

Lexa chanced a look at Clarke while she sang and was not disappointed by her reaction. The blonde was gaping at her, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. The longer she listened, the more her shock turned into joy, her lips curving in a smile so elated that it made Lexa’s heart flutter. The brunette couldn’t help but smile in return as she sang out to Clarke.

 _“And I’m telling you, she…means everything to me,_  
_And she…makes me feel nothing else matters,  
__Not even what the world thinks of me.”_  

Lexa was starting to blur in Clarke’s vision and the blonde realized her eyes were filling with tears. She wiped them away furiously, not wanting to miss a moment of Lexa’s performance. Octavia and Raven noticed the blonde’s reaction and high-fived behind her back. Octavia’s beatdown had definitely been worth it.

_“It’s simple as can be, I love her, she loves me,  
_ _This is what everybody dreams of, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”_

Clarke had begun mouthing the words as Lexa sang, making the brunette smile a little wider. There was something about the blonde that made Lexa just run to her and hold her in her arms. She probably would have, had she not been in the middle of a performance and surrounded by a crowd of people. So Lexa settled for giving her the most affectionate gaze she could muster as she ended the song. Clarke was the first on her feet and Lexa could hear her clapping and whistling above the noise of the other applause.

Lexa would have walked straight to Clarke, but coincidence (or possibly fate) had the blonde onstage next, so the two could only share smiles as they passed each other. Lexa exchanged a high five with her sister, who made her way to Clarke’s table to introduce herself to the blonde’s friends and give Lexa some space for when Clarke finished her performance. Neither Lexa nor Clarke could stop looking at each other, only sparing glances to their surroundings to avoid stumbling when absolutely necessary. The blonde was still grinning at Lexa when she began her song.

_“When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be,_  
_I’m gonna be the one who wakes up next to you._  
_And when I go out, well I know I’m gonna be,  
_ _I’m gonna be the one who goes along with you.”_

It was Lexa’s turn to grin. It was one of the brunette’s favorites, though Clarke had changed the words from “the man” to “the one” (she was a woman, after all – a sweet, gorgeous, _sexy_ woman, Lexa thought). Lexa’s heart swelled with affection as she listened to Clarke sing, filling the words with all the joy in her heart. Best of all, she sang every word to Lexa, and the brunette basked in her gaze and voice.

_“And I would walk five hundred miles,_  
_And I would walk five hundred more,_  
_Just to be the one who walks a thousand miles  
_ _To fall down at your door!”_

Most of the audience knew the song, so they all joined in on the call and response parts of the bridge and the outro. Lexa was on her feet before the last chord could begin to fade, clapping and cheering above all the others as Clarke had cheered for her. The blonde’s smile never left her face as she descended from the stage and finally made her way to the girl who had captured her heart.

For a moment the two girls just looked at each other with shy smiles, taking in each other’s presence. “So, uh, who tipped you off?” Clarke finally asked.

“Octavia said it might be a good idea,” Lexa replied.

Clarke nodded. “She mentioned that you threw her to the mat a few times,” she commented, her smile becoming a smirk. Lexa only shrugged and chuckled in response. “I’m Clarke,” the blonde extended her hand.

“Lexa,” the brunette replied, and when their hands met and they felt the brush of each other’s skin, neither wanted to let go.

They did, eventually, Clarke taking the seat that was previously Anya’s with Lexa sitting across from her. “So how long have you been playing?” she asked.

“About ten years now,” Lexa replied. “I started when I was a kid.”

“Ten years for me, too,” Clarke grinned.

“So do you live around here?” Lexa knew it was small talk, but she was hoping that their future interactions weren’t limited to Monday nights at Grounders.

“I’m actually pre-med over at Trikru University,” Clarke replied.

“I’m studying law there!” Lexa exclaimed.

“Really? What dorm are you in?”

“Polis.”

“Damn, I’m in Arkadia,” Clarke lamented. “How have we not run into each other?” Both of them started giggling before launching into an animated conversation about college and hobbies.

Anya, Raven, and Octavia looked on from across the room, though Anya and Raven occasionally eyed each other, making Octavia facepalm. “Are you gonna give Clarke The Speech?” Raven finally asked Anya.

“Nah, Lexa can take care of herself. I’ll help bury the body if she needs me to, though.”

“I think Clarke would dig her own grave first if she ever hurt Lexa, even unintentionally,” Octavia observed.

“Yeah, I’ve picked up on that,” Anya replied. She chuckled as she continued to watch the pair. “God, they’re like a couple of teenagers.” In truth, the older girl was happy for her sister. Anya hadn’t seen Lexa this full of life since Costia, and if Clarke was the cause, the older girl wasn’t about to stand in her way.

Eventually the bar announced last call and about a half-hour later, the emcee played “Closing Time” over the speakers to signal the end of the night. “So, next Monday’s Valentine’s day,” Clarke commented with a shy smile as she and Lexa picked up their guitars and headed for the exit. “Do you know what you’re gonna play?”

“I might,” Lexa teased. “Do you?”

“I might,” Clarke teased right back, and both of them giggled as they bumped shoulders.

“Tell me you’ve at least exchanged numbers by this point!” Raven pleaded as the friends caught up with each other.

Lexa and Clarke blushed. “Yes, we have,” Clarke mumbled.

“Thank God. For a second I thought I’d been beat up for nothing,” Octavia quipped.

“Sorry about that,” Lexa winced.

“No worries,” the younger girl replied with a wave of her hand. “It was all worth it in the end,” she added with a smirk, making Clarke blush even more.

The group kept up casual conversation as they left the bar and headed into the night. Raven, Anya, and Octavia pretended that they didn’t notice Clarke and Lexa holding hands and stealing glances every so often. They parted ways when they reached campus, promising to text each other and meet up again on Monday.

“So?” Anya asked Lexa as she walked her sister to her dorm building. “What’s the verdict?”

Lexa opened and closed her mouth a few times as she searched for words. Giving up, she simply gave her sister a brilliant, hopeful smile, and that was answer enough for Anya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you didn't recognize it, Clarke's song was "500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)," by The Proclaimers. Also, I should probably mention, all the chapter titles are taken from one of the songs featured in the chapter. There's also a super-specific D&D reference in here, so kudos if you caught it. Like Clarke and Lexa, I have ten years of guitar-playing experience, but I still can't finger-pick to save my life. Thanks once again to Cryokina for the beta read.


	4. Kiss Me Slowly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the open mic nights are getting repetitive, but the music is part of the driving force of the story. This'll be the last one for a bit, though, I promise. Kudos once again to Cryokina for the beta.

Over the course of the following week, not a single day went by where Lexa and Clarke didn’t talk to each other. If they weren’t texting, they were messaging on Facebook, and if they weren’t messaging, they had each other on speakerphone while they studied (which meant that they got very little of that studying done). As Valentine’s Day approached, each tried to trick the other into revealing their performance songs, but while they dropped hints, neither caved.

The two girls all but ran to each other when they met up at Grounders that Monday night. Anya just rolled her eyes and went to hang out with Octavia and Raven while Clarke and Lexa took Lexa’s usual table, beaming at each other.

“Come on, one more hint,” Clarke prodded as she and Lexa waited for their turn at the microphone. The two had unconsciously grabbed each other’s hands across the table and, once they noticed, decided not to let go.

“Hmm,” Lexa pretended to think, smiling slyly at the blonde. “Oh, fine. The opening chord is D.”

Clarke gave Lexa a look that screamed ‘are you for real?’ “Seriously? _That’s_ your hint? Well, fine then, the opening chord for mine is E minor two with a capo on the second fret.”

“That actually narrows it down quite a bit, thank you,” Lexa smirked.

“Maybe not, because I modified the chords from the original posting on Ultimate-Guitar, so _ha_!” Clarke grinned triumphantly, making Lexa roll her eyes.

“Show-off,” the brunette teased, running her thumb over the back of Clarke’s hand. The touch made the blonde blush and bite her lip.

When Lexa’s name was called to perform, she threw Clarke a wink before she took to the stage, unable to keep a smile from her face. The theme for the night was love songs and she had chosen a rather obvious one – or at least one with clear instructions. Clarke furrowed her brow as Lexa strummed out the opening chords, but her face lit up in recognition as the brunette began to sing.

_“Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight,  
_ _Lead me out on the moonlit floor.”_

“My God, could she be any more obvious?” Raven commented to Octavia and Anya with exasperation.

“Oh, wait until you hear what Clarke’s picked; it’s just as bad,” Octavia replied. “Those two are _hopeless_.”

_“Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance,”_ Lexa continued, smiling knowingly at Clarke all the while. _“Silver moon’s sparkling…so kiss me.”_

Really, Clarke didn’t need any convincing.

They had signed up one after the other, so Lexa and Clarke were just able to share a high five as they switched places. As the blonde stared out at the girl she was falling ever-deeper for, she was tempted to dedicate the song to her, but she didn’t want to embarrass Lexa. Besides, the brunette already knew full well that the song was for her. Smiling fondly, Clarke began to play.

_“Stay with me, baby stay with me,_  
_Tonight don’t leave me alone._  
_Walk with me, come and walk with me  
_ _To the edge of all we’ve ever known.”_

It was one of Clarke’s favorite songs to play and she knew it well enough that she could keep her eyes on Lexa the whole time to gauge her reaction. Lexa, for her part, didn’t recognize the song, but was enjoying it so far.

_“Hold my breath as you’re movin’ in,_  
_Taste your lips and feel your skin,_  
_When the time comes, baby don’t run,  
_ _Just kiss me slowly.”_

“No, that’s not blatant at _all_ ,” Octavia drawled, making Raven and Anya snicker.

_“And it’s hard to love again when the only way it’s been,  
_ _When the only love you knew just walked away.”_

Even from a distance Clarke could see Lexa’s breath hitch in her chest. She would have contemplated the reaction further had she not been focused on performing.

Lexa let out a gasping sigh as the words sent a brief burst of pain through her heart. Her love had worse than walked away and God, was it hard for her to love again. For the past two years she’d thought it wasn’t possible to love again. But then she had met Clarke and everything had turned upside-down.

_“If it’s something that you want,_  
_Darling you don’t have to run,_  
_You don’t have to go._  
_Just stay with me,  
_ _Baby stay with me.”_

As swiftly as the pain had come it was replaced by a warm sense of tentative elation. Watching Clarke sing – sing for _her_ – Lexa knew that whatever it was they were pursuing was something she very much wanted and didn’t have to run from. _I can’t believe I’m matching my feelings to a song_ , Lexa chuckled to herself. _It’s such a sappy cliché, and yet._

_“Hold my breath as you’re movin’ in,_  
_Taste your lips and feel your skin,_  
_When the time comes, baby don’t run,  
_ _Just kiss me slowly.”_

After the applause faded away, Clarke stopped at Lexa’s seat just long enough to hold out her hand to the brunette. Lexa took it, letting the blonde gently lead her to the doors that led out to the back courtyard.

It was a warm night for February, but even if it hadn’t been, both girls would swear that simply standing next to each other chased away the chill. Still holding hands, they stood gazing into each other’s eyes without speaking. Rather than talk, they let their songs play through their heads, the words and music illustrating each other’s faces in the moonlight.

_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight/Hold my breath as you’re movin’ in_  
_Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance/Taste your lips and feel your skin_  
_Silver moon’s sparkling/When the time comes baby don’t run  
_ _So kiss me/Just kiss me slowly_

And as each chorus came to its conclusion, Clarke and Lexa leaned forward until their lips met.

Clarke would swear there were fireworks going off behind her eyelids at the feel of Lexa’s warm mouth on hers. Her lips were soft and sweet and the blonde knew from the first touch that she would never be able to get enough. She wrapped her arms around Lexa’s neck and pulled her closer, feeling the brunette wrap her arms around Clarke’s waist in turn. They deepened the kiss together, open-mouthed and tender, each becoming more confident with every soft sigh they evoked from the other. Lexa was drowning in Clarke’s warmth, sinking into her embrace without hesitation as she focused all her senses on their kiss, wanting to imprint every moment in her memory.

It was when Lexa felt the sweep of Clarke’s tongue against her bottom lip that her memories came crashing down around her, shattering the moment with long-buried pain. Gasping, she pulled away from Clarke as tears filled her eyes. “I…” she began as Clarke frowned in concern. “I…not yet. Not yet.”

Pulling regretfully from Clarke’s embrace, her heart aching in protest, Lexa pushed through the doors back into the bar. Clarke followed at a slower pace, still concerned but knowing Lexa needed her space. She watched as the girl fled towards the front door, stopping just long enough to grab her guitar. Startled, Anya looked at Octavia and Raven, shrugged, and chased after her sister. The two girls looked after the fleeing women before turning to Clarke, who had moved to sit in Anya’s vacated seat.

“Dude, you ok?” Octavia asked the blonde.

Far from being upset, Clarke looked thoughtful as she gazed after Lexa and Anya despite the fact that they were long gone. “Raven, you have Anya’s number, yes?” she finally asked.

Octavia snickered as Raven blushed and shifted in her chair. “Maybe…why?”

“I’m gonna need her help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexa's song was "Kiss Me," by Sixpence None the Richer and Clarke's song was "Kiss Me Slowly," by Parachute. I have a recording of what Clarke's particular cover of the song would sound like and can upload it to my Sound Cloud if anyone's interested.


	5. I Will Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's a little short, but it covers everything it needs to. And hey, two in a night!

As soon as Clarke had finished outlining her plan to Anya, the older girl was all-in. She gave Clarke all the information she needed without hesitation, ending their call with the words “go get your girl” (the blonde stared at her phone for a full minute after Anya had hung up, stunned). So it was that a few days after open mic, Clarke found herself walking down the second floor hallway of Polis dorm, guitar in hand. When she reached door 219, she sat and pulled the instrument from its case as quietly as she could. Once she was settled, the blonde reached forward and knocked on the door.

“Go away, Anya,” came Lexa’s muffled voice.

Instead of replying, Clarke began to play the backing chords for her chosen song’s intro, thanking God she’d chosen to study guitar instead of banjo. After a few opening measures, she began to sing.

_“Well I came home like a stone_  
_And I fell heavy into your arms._  
_These days of dust which we’ve known  
_ _Will blow away with this new sun.”_

There was the brief sound of someone stumbling and through the crack beneath Lexa’s door Clarke could see a shadow approach and grow larger, as if the brunette had sat down to listen. The blonde smiled in relieved affection as she continued to play.

_“But I’ll kneel down, wait for now,_  
_And I’ll kneel down, know my ground._  
_And I will wait, I will wait for you.  
_ _And I will wait, I will wait for you.”_

As the chorus began, Clarke did her best to put all her emotion into the words. She wanted Lexa to know that she wasn’t upset, that she didn’t feel rejected, and that even though she may not understand what the brunette was going through, she was more than willing to wait for her.

_“So break my step and relent.  
_ _Well you forgave and I won’t forget.”_

Clarke thought she heard a sigh come through the door but she continued to play.

_“Now I’ll be bold as well as strong  
_ _And use my head alongside my heart.”_

The blonde definitely heard a sniffle at those words and felt a pang of sadness for the girl behind the door.

_“Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold,  
_ _And bow my head, keep my heart slow.”_

As the song reached its final chorus, Clarke sang out from her heart, not caring if everyone in the dorm heard her musical declaration of how much she cared for Lexa.

_“’Cause I will wait, I will wait for you.  
_ _And I will wait, I will wait for you.”_

Clarke let the last chord ring out into silence. There was no reaction from behind the door, but the blonde didn’t expect one, nor did she need one; she knew Lexa had been listening. Clarke packed up her guitar, stood, and headed back towards the stairwell. She had only walked a few steps before the sound of a door unlocking and creaking open came from behind her. Smiling, Clarke turned back to Lexa’s room.

Entering the room, Clarke found Lexa sitting on her bed and looking at the floor. Leaning her guitar against the wall and closing the door behind her, the blonde sat next to the brunette and waited for her to be ready to speak – not pushing or expecting anything but silently letting Lexa know she was there for her.

“Her name was Costia,” Lexa finally began in a quiet, hoarse voice. “She was my first and only girlfriend and I loved her so, _so_ much. We had all these grand plans for what we would do ‘when we grew up.’ We were going to travel the world after college and settle down in whatever country we liked the most. We both went to different colleges, but our relationship stayed strong. She made everything perfect.

“Two years ago, during spring break of our freshman year, we’d both come back home to spend our vacation together. One night she was walking back from my house and…” Lexa took a deep breath. “She was hit by a drink driver while she was crossing the road. They never caught the guy. It was a hit and run.”

Clarke gently wrapped her arm around the brunette’s shoulder and Lexa gratefully leaned into her. The brunette took another deep breath before continuing. “She suffered internal injuries and a skull fracture. She hit her head so hard that she went into a coma. The doctors tried to fix all the injuries, but she was still brain dead. Her parents waited a week before pulling her off life support. And…that was it.”

Lexa sighed, leaning further into Clarke. “I’ve spent the past two years hoping the pain will fade and that I’ll find a way to move on, but there are some days when it just comes back and _hurts._ ” She let out a humourless laugh. “That episode of _The 99_ didn’t help much.”

“Geez, I can imagine not,” Clarke lamented in solidarity, wrapping her other arm around Lexa. The brunette reached her own arms up to hold onto Clarke’s.

“Whatever this is between us…I _do_ want it, Clarke,” Lexa spoke quietly after a time. “I just…it’s still hard to forget sometimes, and…”

“…and you feel like you’re betraying her,” Clarke finished for the brunette. Lexa nodded against the blonde’s shoulder and Clarke hugged her a little tighter. “I understand, Lexa. I do. ‘And I will wait, I will wait for you,’” she sang softly, smiling when it elicited a chuckle from the brunette.

Lexa closed her eyes and tried to let herself enjoy the warmth of Clarke’s embrace. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“Tell you what, how about we have a jam session, just you and me,” Clarke offered. “Just an afternoon where we play music together as friends. How’s that sound?”

Lexa pulled away from Clarke just far enough to smile up at her, the weight on her heart lifting a little under the blonde’s caring gaze. “I’d like that.”

Clarke smiled back, placing a light kiss to Lexa’s forehead. Then she pulled her close again, rubbing Lexa’s back and humming “I Will Wait” all the while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Clarke plays for Lexa is "I Will Wait," by Mumford & Sons. Also, let's just say that Cryokina has continuous beta kudos.


	6. And The World's a Little Brighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm linking one of the guitar songs within the text so you can have a listen while reading about our favorite ladies playing it. Also, I love all of your comments! They give me life! Thank you! :)

Clarke and Lexa decided to hold their jam session on Monday, planning to play the afternoon away before heading to open mic together. When Lexa shyly knocked on the door, Clarke practically fell off her bed in her hurry to open it, greeting the brunette with a beaming smile. Octavia took that as her cue to retreat across the hall to Raven’s room, leaving the two guitarists to their antics.

The girls took up residence on Clarke’s bed, shooting each other tentative smiles as they tuned their instruments. “I’m glad you came,” the blonde finally murmured carefully. She was rewarded with a small but joyous smile from the brunette.

“I’m glad I came, too.” Without waiting for a response, Lexa idly began plucking at the strings of her guitar. After a moment she slapped out a few notes, habitually beginning the opening sequence of “[Dueling Guitars](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s13bgbFA34)” from _August Rush_. She tapped out the basic melody before following up with the individual notes of the main chord, ending with the slapped G.

Looking up from her instrument, Lexa saw Clarke staring at her in shock, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. The brunette felt herself begin to blush and was about to stammer out an excuse (though for what, she wasn’t sure) when the blonde began the opposite part of the duet, eyes never leaving Lexa’s as she strummed out the beginning. A tentative smile began to form on her face as she plucked out her own invocation of the melody. Biting her lip, she played out the first call to response, waiting for Lexa’s reaction.

Her own smile growing, Lexa slapped out the lower response to Clarke’s tune. Clarke beamed as she played the next few measures before beginning the second call: a slow chord progression down the fret. Lexa responded in time with the same progression on the lower strings, slapping out the notes the way they were played in the movie. Clarke called again, Lexa responded, then they played together as the chord progression grew faster and faster. Because Clarke played left-handed, the two girls were mirror images of each other, grinning as their fingers slid deftly down the strings and the beat picked up.

They broke into the main part of the song together, strumming the upbeat melody with delighted abandon. There was still a call and response between the guitars, but each provided backing chords for the other as they played on. They came together for the melody one last time before returning to the downward chord progression. They song came to a brief pause and Clarke and Lexa held eye contact as they strummed the last chord, letting it ring out for a moment before stilling the strings with their palms.

The two sat in silence as they shared gazes, breathless and grinning. Then Clarke launched herself at Lexa, wrapping her hand behind her neck to pull her into a deep kiss. Passionate as it was, it only lasted for a moment before Clarke pulled back, mortified.

“Oh God, Lexa, I’m so sorry! God, I promised I would wait and take it slow and then I just went and did that and –”

Lexa cut the blonde’s ramble short with a hand on her shoulder. “Clarke, it’s ok.” She was still smiling and breathless, but for different reasons now. “I promise, it’s _very_ ok.”

Clarke let out a relieved sigh, leaning back in until the two pressed their foreheads together. They shared a laugh and a soft brush of noses before their lips met again, this time slow and sweet.

Both girls were red-faced and flustered as they broke away. “Right, uh, music,” Lexa coughed.

“Yes, music,” Clarke agreed.

***

Clarke and Lexa played for hours – sometimes together, sometimes for each other. They pulled up YouTube and played and sang to all three versions of “The Four Chord Song.” Lexa had the blonde in fits of laughter with “The Assumption Song” and Clarke had the brunette blushing and giggling as she played “Vanilla Ice Cream.” They belted out “I’m Gonna Be” together and stumbled through “American Pie,” Clarke remembering lyrics where Lexa forgot and vice-versa. Lexa requested “I Will Wait” and looked on fondly as Clarke sang and played her heart out for her. They performed “Falling Slowly” as a duet, shooting each other shy glances the whole time.

The two girls had just finished a strange yet surprisingly good acoustic cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody” when Octavia poked her head through the door. “Ok, as much as Raven and I have loved your mini concert, Anya is here and it’s time to go to open mic, provided your fingers don’t hurt.”

“We’re good,” Clarke assured her before turning to smile at Lexa. “Ready?” The brunette nodded and they began to pack up their guitars.

“How long do you think it’ll take before their fingers get tired for _other_ reasons?” Anya smirked to Raven in the hallway.

“Dunno. We can hash out the bets on the way to Grounders.” She took her turn to poke her head through the door. “Hurry up, you two!”

“All right, keep your brace on,” Clarke shouted back. As she and Lexa headed out the door to follow the trio, the brunette paused by Clarke’s desk.

“You kept a placemat from Grounders?” she inquired curiously, picking up the folded paper. Panicking, Clarke spun around and was about to stop her when Lexa let out a soft “Oh.”

Clarke bit her lip in trepidation as she gauged Lexa’s reaction. The brunette was staring at the pen sketch of herself in awe, taking in every line and upswept curve. She had to take a moment to swallow back her tears, overwhelmed by the obvious dedication that had been put into the drawing. There was another emotion there, one she dare not name, so she swallowed that back, too. Looking back at Clarke, she asked in a tentative whisper, “Can I keep this?”

Relieved, the blonde nodded and smiled. The brunette smiled in turn, slipping the drawing into her purse. “Thanks,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Clarke’s cheek.

Clarke blushed. “Anytime.” On a whim, she added, “Lemme know if you ever want me to draw another one.” The blush and giggle this elicited from the brunette filled Clarke with hope.

***

Clarke and Lexa were oblivious to everything but each other, so Octavia, Raven, and Anya had plenty of time to put money down on the couple on the way to the café. As had now become typical, Clarke and Lexa were left to their own table while the other girls watched on from afar with ever-growing amusement. The musicians took the time to have the conversation they’d foregone in favour of playing earlier, asking each other about classes and studying and how they spent the weekend, though the discussion quickly swung back around to songs they were learning.

“And now for one of our regulars, Lexa Woods!”

“Hear that, Clarke? We’re regulars now,” Lexa chuckled to the blonde, both of them grinning as Lexa made her way to the stage. Clarke stared on, rapt as she always was when the brunette was performing. Lexa shot her a smile before she began to play.

_“There she goes. There she goes again,_  
_Racing through my brain.  
_ _And I just can’t contain this feeling that remains.”_

Lexa had thought about doing “She” again, wanting to sing out her feelings to Clarke, but she thought it would be a little too soon after her first performance of the song. So the brunette had chosen another one of her favorites that, coincidentally enough, expressed her feelings pretty well, too.

_“There she goes. There she goes again._  
_She calls my name, pulls my train,  
_ _No one else can heal my pain.”_

Lexa made sure to rest her unwavering gaze on the blonde’s for the last line of that section, wanting Clarke to know – to _feel_ – exactly how much she meant to her. Yes, Lexa still needed time, but she knew Clarke would be there when she was ready, and her willingness to wait made Lexa’s heart hurt in the best way.

Clarke, for her part, felt the significance of the brunette’s words and gaze hit her like a sledgehammer (or perhaps a clue-by-four). The blonde’s chest tightened with emotion and she willed away the tears that were forming. Instead she let herself sink into the music.

_“And I just can’t contain this feeling that remains.”_

As always, Clarke was on her feet when the last chord was silenced, cheering and whistling. Lexa grinned and took her bow, leaving the stage as the emcee announced Clarke, also calling her a regular. The girls shared a passing high five as the blonde made her way to the stage.

Clarke fidgeted on the stool and bit her lip. Just as Lexa had with “She,” Clarke was taking a bit of a risk with the song she had planned. As much time as she’d spent with the brunette, she hadn’t been able to find the words to convey how much she cared for her.

So Clarke found music instead.

_“So she said ‘what’s the problem, baby?’_  
_What’s the problem? I dunno,_  
_Well, maybe I’m in love_  
_Think about it, every time I think about it,  
_ _Can’t stop thinkin’ ‘bout it.”_

“These girls just can’t do subtle, can they?” Raven asked Anya.

“Clarke must get it from Octavia,” the older girl replied with a sideways glance at their friend, who was leaning way too far over the bar to chat with Lincoln. Looking over to Lexa, Anya continued, “I dunno where Commander Hearteyes over there gets it from, but it sure as hell isn’t me.”

Raven smirked. “I dunno, you were pretty straightforward about getting my number.”

Anya smirked right back. “And I didn’t even have to serenade you.”

They went back to watching Clarke play, still doing inappropriate things under the table.

_“Come on, come on, jump a little higher._  
_Come on, come on, if you feel a little lighter._  
_Come on, come on, we’re once upon a time in love.  
_ _Accidentally in love.”_

Clarke was smiling even as she sang, pouring her heart into her music. Lexa was so enthralled that the actual words of the song didn’t sink in until Clarke’s gaze caught hers during the bridge.

_“I’m in love, I’m in love accidentally.”_

And to her own surprise, the confession didn’t scare Lexa.

 _“I’m in love,”_ Clarke sang with a final strum, grinning at the brunette.

 _I am, too, Clarke,_ Lexa thought with her own smile. _I am, too._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lexa's song was "There She Goes," by Sixpence None the Richer and Clarke's song was "Accidentally in Love," by Counting Crows.


	7. I Will Soar When I Lay Down With You

Over the next several weeks, when Clarke’s free time wasn’t spent studying or hanging out with Lexa, she sat and practiced what Octavia still called “the orgasm song” but what the blonde now called “the ultimate love song for Lexa.” Even Octavia started getting tired of hearing the song over and over again and took to holing up in Raven’s room whenever Clarke pulled out her guitar. The love-struck blonde practiced until her fingers bled – something she had to hide from Lexa on more than one occasion. Neither of them could find it in themselves to ask each other on a proper date. Monday jam sessions and open mic became a cherished routine that neither girl wanted to interfere with. Anya, Octavia, and Raven thought it was less of a routine and more of a holding pattern, but only Octavia and Raven knew of Clarke’s “ultimate love song serenading plan.” They teased her mercilessly about it, too.

“Octaviaaaaaa,” Clarke whined from their room one day.

“Jesus Christ, _what_?” the aggravated brunette called from Raven’s room.

“I need you to listen to this and see if I’ve got it right.”

“What about me?” Raven protested.

“Fine, you can come listen, too.”

Octavia and Raven rolled their eyes at each other before making their way across the hall and settling on Octavia’s bed. “Ok, go,” Clarke’s roommate prompted.

Clarke scowled at her before beginning the song, fingers flying across the strings with the automatic dexterity that came from more practice than the blonde cared to remember. Octavia and Raven’s expressions went from bored anticipation to shock as Clarke floated through the piece, cautious but confident. Strumming the last chord with a relieved sigh, the blonde looked up at her gaping friends, trying to gauge their reactions. Just when Clarke was starting to think that maybe she should’ve practiced more, Octavia punched the air with both hands.

“ _Nailed_ it, bitch!” she cheered as she and Raven launched themselves at Clarke for a hug.

“Watch the guitar!” the blonde protested through her laughter, returning their hugs.

“Ok, you _so_ need to go serenade your girl _right fucking now_ ,” Octavia enthused, grabbing Clarke’s phone from her nightstand and tossing it to her with only slightly less force than she’d use to throw a softball.

“Yes, before my fingers somehow forget everything they’ve learned,” Clarke quipped as she opened her text messages.

“Maybe you’ll be using your fingers for something better soon,” Raven waggled her eyebrows as she and Octavia left the room.

_“Shut up!”_ Clarke called after her giggling friends. Shaking her head in amusement and embarrassment, the blonde typed out a message to Lexa.

_Clarke:_ Hey, if you’re around today, I’ve got a song I want to play for you.

It was less than a minute before Lexa responded.

_Lexa:_ Sure, when? My room or yours?

_Clarke:_ Now works, if you’re free. Your room?

_Lexa:_ Awesome! See you in a few. :)

Clarke grinned as she packed up her guitar, all but sprinting out the door to get to Lexa’s.

***

Clarke tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach when Lexa opened her door with a beaming smile. “Hey,” she greeted the blonde with a quick kiss to her cheek. “Come in.” The brunette couldn’t help but notice that Clarke’s own smile was rather shy as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.

“So, uh,” Clarke began as she unpacked her guitar. “I’ve been practicing this song for a while, and it’s something I want to play for you, but not at open mic, ‘cause that would be a little too public…”

Lexa smirked as the two girls settled themselves on the brunette’s bed. “Oh, it’s _that_ kind of song, is it?”

Clarke blushed. “Um, sort of. I mean, if it’s too much too soon, just stop me, it’s no big deal, I don’t mean to –”

“Clarke,” Lexa cut her off, placing a gentle hand on her knee. “Just play.”

The blonde nodded and let out a slow breath. Placing her fingers on the strings, Clarke began.

Lexa took a sharp breath as the opening notes gently touched the air between them. The melody hadn’t even started and the brunette was already swept away by the complex intonation. After two repetitions, Clarke began to sing.

_“Seems to matter what I do,_  
_So I’m saving this for you._  
_‘_ _Cause it seems to be the last piece there is_  
_And you haven’t had a chance yet to taste this:  
_ _Fragments of a life you shouldn’t miss.”_

Lexa swallowed thickly, her heart aching both at the words and the yearning in Clarke’s voice. Both girl and song _knew_ her, the music weaving its way beneath her skin to pulse through her veins as the verses echoed out her past.

_“Seems to matter what I say,_  
_So I’ll hold my tongue at bay_  
_And rather use my mouth to kiss your frown away,_  
_So your doubts no longer darken your days,_  
_So you can hold your head up high come what may._  
_So please remember that I’m gonna follow through  
_ _All the way.”_

Lexa’s breath came in gasping shudders as Clarke’s voice and words wrapped her in a comforting embrace. The blonde was reaching into her somehow, taking knots of pain long-buried and slowly, gently untangling them to fade away. The doubt and darkness Lexa barely realized she carried came undone with every note plucked from the strings.

_“All the way…_  
_‘Cause it seems to matter where I go._  
_I will always let you know_  
_That the place where I am is never far._  
_You know you’re not alone – don’t be alarmed._  
_I’ll find you no matter where you are._  
_So please remember that I’m gonna follow through  
_ _All the way.”_

The individual notes tapered off and became chords as Clarke played through the bridge, biting her lip as she gave Lexa a tentative glance. She was startled to see the tears forming in the brunette’s eyes as the girl took shaky, shallow breaths. But Lexa still hadn’t stopped her, so the blonde continued the chords through to the finale.

_“Oh my love, if it’s all I can do_  
_I’ll take the fall for you._  
_‘Cause I will soar when I lay down with you.  
_ _I’ll give my all for you.”_

Lexa couldn’t stop her tears from breaking free. Her heart ached with the love threatening to consume her, hearing that same love woven into Clarke’s voice as she sang. It didn’t make sense – they barely knew each other, only spoke their affection through songs – but Lexa was undeniably in love with Clarke, who returned that love with all she had to give.

_“Oh my love, if it’s all I can do_  
_I’ll take the fall for you._  
_‘Cause I will soar when I lay down with you.  
_ _I’ll give my all for you.”_

Clarke ended the song with a slow chord, letting each string sound its note. In the silence that followed, she looked back up at Lexa with trepidation. Seeing the tears that streamed down the girl’s face, the blonde reached forward and tenderly brushed one away with her thumb.

The gentle touch was all it took for the last wall around the brunette’s heart to crumble into dust. Lexa took Clarke’s face in her hands and drew her into a fierce kiss, both of them tasting her tears on their lips. Mindful of the guitar trapped between them, Clarke wrapped her arms around Lexa’s neck and wove her fingers into the girl’s hair, pulling her closer as their mouths moved in tandem. The blonde slid her tongue along Lexa’s bottom lip and this time the brunette opened her mouth to accept it, whimpering as she brought her own tongue up to dance with the blonde’s. Clarke stroked the back of her neck reassuringly as she licked deep into Lexa’s mouth, gentle in her strokes. Soon they were both gasping for air, though neither was willing to break away.

It was Clarke who pulled back first, but only far enough to unsling the guitar from around her neck and lean it against the brunette’s desk. Then she crashed her lips against Lexa’s again, pulling the brunette’s body flush against hers. Both girls moaned as they felt their breasts press together, sensitive even through their clothes. Their combined sound of pleasure spurred them both onwards and soon Lexa was helping Clarke shrug off her jacket as the blonde kicked off her shoes. The brunette then guided the blonde’s hand beneath her shirt, but before their skin could touch, Clarke pulled away again. Lexa opened her eyes to see what was wrong and found the blonde gazing at her with concern that still couldn’t mask her barely-restrained desire.

“Lexa, are you _sure_?” Clarke whispered, her voice rough from kissing and lust.

Lexa nodded, cupping the blonde’s cheeks in her hands. “I’m sure. I promise you I’m sure.” And with that reassurance, she brought her hand to the back of Clarke’s neck and pulled the blonde down on top of her. Clarke followed more than willingly, sighing contentedly as she pressed her hands to the smooth skin of Lexa’s stomach. Lexa whimpered and arched her back as Clarke’s fingers traced the outline of her abs, marvelling at the muscles she felt beneath. The blonde slid her hands around to run up and down Lexa’s back, lightly dragging her nails along her spine. The brunette lifted her arms above her head in a silent plea and Clarke obeyed, drawing her shirt up her body and tossing it aside. Straddling Lexa’s hips, Clarke stopped long enough to pull off her own shirt, keeping the two of them on equal ground.

Instead of returning her lips to Lexa’s, Clarke gently nibbled along her jaw before nipping at her earlobe. The brunette gasped as the blonde’s lips travelled down her neck, sucking a mark on her collarbone. The thought that everyone would be able to see the evidence of Clarke’s devotion sent a thrill through Lexa’s body to spark between her legs. Eyes squeezed shut, Lexa wrapped her arms around the blonde and splayed her hands against her back, needing to ground herself as Clarke’s kisses unravelled her.

Clarke kissed her way down the middle of Lexa’s chest until she reached the swell of her breasts. They were smaller than hers, but still full and pert, nipples straining against the fabric of Lexa’s bra. Clarke ran her hands along the tender orbs before gently pulling back the cup of the brunette’s bra and wrapping her lips around her nipple. Lexa arched her back again as she cried out, hypersensitive to the feel of Clarke’s tongue swirling and flicking the taut bud. Not wanting to neglect the other, Clarke freed Lexa’s right breast from her bra and gently rolled her nipple between her fingers, tugging lightly.

Lexa writhed beneath her, reaching under her own back to unclasp her bra. “Off, off,” she pleaded with a gasp. Clarke chuckled and the vibration against her skin made Lexa whimper. Reluctantly leaving the brunette’s breasts, Clarke helped her fling her bra to the side to join her shirt somewhere on the floor. For a moment she just sat back and stared at the beauty she’d uncovered, love and lust warring within her to both fill her heart and flush her skin. Smiling down at the brunette, Clarke reached around and undid her own bra, letting it slide from her shoulders before discarding it. Lexa gazed at what she’d revealed and when she met Clarke’s eyes again the blonde’s breath caught in her throat. The brunette’s gaze couldn’t be described as anything other than _hungry_.

Lexa surged upward and captured one of Clarke’s nipples between her lips, sucking hard as she took her generous breasts in her hands. Clarke threw her head back and cried out, letting Lexa pull her back down to the bed. Lexa brought her mouth up to meet Clarke’s again, both girls moaning as their bare breasts met. Clarke reached between them and pinched both their nipples between her fingertips, rolling them against each other. The action caused both of them to giggle and whimper at the same time as they continued to kiss languidly. But the fire building between them refused to be ignored and soon they were both gasping and struggling with their jeans and socks, eventually wrenching them off and flinging them away.

Clarke gently traced the waistband of Lexa’s underwear, looking to the brunette for permission. When Lexa nodded, the blonde gently pulled the fabric down her legs to reveal brown curls and glistening folds. Part of Clarke wanted nothing more than to bury her head between Lexa’s thighs and taste her, but she reined in her desire, instead pulling off her own panties to join Lexa’s before dipping her fingers into the brunette’s wetness. Lexa shuddered and spread her legs wider, clinging desperately to Clarke’s back. The blonde’s fingers skilfully found Lexa’s clit and began to press slow circles against the firm bud. Clarke kept her touch light as the brunette moaned beneath her, gasping and bucking her hips in search of more. “Clarke…please…please,” she finally began to beg.

“Tell me what you need, baby,” the blonde murmured between kisses.

“Inside…please,” Lexa gasped.

Clarke smiled and obeyed, circling the brunette’s opening with two fingers before pushing inside. Lexa cried out her joy at being filled while Clarke gave a content sigh, cherishing the feeling of the brunette’s silken heat clenching around her. The blonde curled her fingers as she slowly withdrew and when her fingertips brushed Lexa’s swollen front wall, the brunette screamed, wrapping her leg around Clarke’s waist as her nails dug into her back. The movement pressed the blonde’s center against Lexa’s thigh and Clarke moaned in relief as the pressure hit her just right.

The blonde was content to buck lazily against Lexa’s thigh while thrusting into the girl beneath her, but Lexa had other ideas. Snaking her hand between their bodies, Lexa pressed her own fingers up and into Clarke, curving her fingertips against her front wall as her heel ground into her clit. The blonde keened out her pleasure and surged deeper into Lexa, moving her thumb to press against the brunette’s clit. The spike of pleasure had the brunette writhing in delight, clinging more tightly to Clarke as she nibbled and sucked her own mark on the blonde’s neck.

The two of them quickened and deepened their thrusts as they spiralled towards their shared release. Lexa felt the world go hazy around her the closer she got to her peak, all her senses focused on Clarke’s movements against her, inside her. Before long she was teetering on the edge, but something kept her from falling. “Clarke,” she whimpered, her desperate gaze meeting the blonde’s.

“Come on, Lexa, come for me,” Clarke murmured without falter. Summoning her courage, she lowered her lips to Lexa’s ear. “I love you.”

That was all it took. Lexa’s entire body tensed as she screamed out her orgasm, her release dragging Clarke over the edge with her. Both girls continued to move within each other as they unravelled, riding out the waves of pleasure crashing through them. The world around them fell away until all that existed were Clarke and Lexa, their bodies scorching where they touched as they succumbed to bliss. The waves had barely ebbed when Lexa thrust more wildly into Clarke, determined to bring her to climax again. Clarke cried out in surprise and ecstasy as she came hard, matching Lexa’s pace to bring the brunette with her. Lexa shuddered violently as she followed the blonde into oblivion, safe in her arms even as they soared.

As their second shared release faded into aftershocks, Clarke collapsed against Lexa, rolling to the side so as not to crush her. Lexa rolled with her so they still lay flush against each other, gasping for air. Only when the pounding of their hearts had slowed did they gently slide their fingers from within each other, moaning at the loss. Clarke immediately brought her fingers to her lips, humming in delight as she tasted Lexa’s release. She lifted her gaze to meet the brunette’s and found Lexa doing the same, licking the blonde’s wetness from her fingers. When they’d had their fill, they wrapped their arms around each other and fell into a kiss, tasting each other on their tongues.

When they pulled apart for air, Lexa’s smile was blinding. “I love you too, Clarke.”

The two kissed languidly until the cool air made them shiver. After crawling under the covers of Lexa’s bed, they snuggled back together, Clarke holding Lexa close as the brunette threw her thigh over the blonde’s and her arm over her stomach. For a while they just lay there, Clarke stroking Lexa’s hair as Lexa traced patterns on the blonde’s skin.

“I know we’re doing this in the wrong order, but will you be my girlfriend?” Clarke finally asked, keeping her voice soft so as not to disturb the quiet haven they’d created.

“I thought I already was?” Lexa asked with a shy yet mischievous smile.

“Well…ok, yeah, but we never actually _said_ it,” Clarke relented.

“True.”

“So…will you?”

Lexa chuckled and pressed a kiss to Clarke’s cheek. “Of course I will, Clarke.”

The blonde grinned. “Good.” She turned her head to meet Lexa’s lips with her own. There was another moment of comfortable silence before Clarke’s grin widened. “I was right.”

Lexa lifted her head far enough to meet her gaze suspiciously. “About?”

“‘I will soar when I lay down with you.’ Damn, were we soaring,” the blonde quipped.

Lexa’s laugh came from her heart, light and joyous and _free_.

Nestled together under the covers, Clarke and Lexa shared lazy kisses until they succumbed to sleep in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The guitar-gasm song/ultimate love song for Lexa is "All the Way/4U" by Poets of the Fall. Those of you who have read my Red Beauty OTP stories will recognize it.


	8. Nothing Heals Me Like You Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I've been informed that the beginning of this chapter is arguably non-con so I'm slapping a dub-con warning on it (it's really not non-con). I've also edited the beginning dialogue a little to reflect on/clear up the dub-con of the situation.

Lexa woke up to the most delicious sensation between her thighs. She smiled and let out a happy little moan, hearing a low chuckle in response. She opened her eyes and looked down to see Clarke’s bright blue gaze looking back up at her, a shy smile on her face even as her tongue traced wicked circles between her folds before flicking at her clit. “Is this ok?” she asked tentatively, pausing her ministrations for a moment.

“It’s _very_ ok,” Lexa gasped. Clarke gave her a mischievous grin before returning to Lexa’s center. Lexa moaned again and fell back against the pillows, content to let the blonde work her magic. When she felt the blonde’s soft tongue slip inside her, she arched off the bed and spread her legs wider, hands fisting the sheets. Everything about Clarke – her soothing touches along her thighs, her gentle tongue within her, the soft sighs she made at Lexa’s taste on her tongue – made the brunette feel _safe_. Content.

Loved.

Clarke returned to Lexa’s clit, making firm and fast circles with the flat of her tongue. The quickened pace sent Lexa spiralling higher until she cried out Clarke’s name, her entire body tensing and shuddering in climax. Clarke carried the brunette through her orgasm, humming at the taste of her release. When Lexa had stopped shaking, Clarke wiped her chin with the back of her hand before crawling up to lie beside her girlfriend, tracing tender patterns on her stomach with her fingertips.

“I could get used to waking up like that,” Lexa sighed when she finally regained her breath. She immediately lost it again when she realized what she’d said. To her relief, Clarke chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“I could get used to waking you up like that,” the blonde murmured, and the words made Lexa’s heart ache with affection.

The two lay in silence for a time, content with slow caresses and kisses. Then Clarke took a deep breath and the expression on the girl’s face immediately made Lexa worry.

“Lexa, I don’t suppose…I mean, may I stay with you a little longer? We could make a night of it – order pizza, talk, just…be together…”

It was Lexa’s turn to chuckle, relieved. “I _want_ you to stay the night, Clarke,” she replied, kissing her cheek. “Pizza sounds lovely…though it does mean we have to get dressed.”

“Ugh, no fun,” Clarke teased, and both girls laughed.

 

It took them another fifteen minutes to roll out of bed and make themselves relatively presentable. After deciding on what to order, Clarke pulled out her cell phone to make the call while Lexa pulled out her own guitar, testing the tuning quietly so as not to interrupt her girlfriend. When the blonde hung up the phone and saw what the brunette was now holding, she arched an eyebrow.

“It’s my turn to serenade you,” Lexa grinned. “It’s not nearly as complicated, but –”

“Lexa. Just play,” Clarke mimicked her girlfriend’s earlier words, making them both laugh. Keeping her affectionate gaze on the blonde, Lexa began the song.

_“I’m comin’, I’m comin’ home to you._  
_I’m alive, I’m a mess._  
_I can’t wait to get home to you,  
_ _To get warm, warm, and undressed.”_

Clarke’s grin was almost a leer at the implications and her grin only widened as the song continued.

_“So keep me in your bed all day, all day._  
_Nothing heals me like you do.  
_ _Nothing heals me like you do.”_

Lexa made sure to put all her heart into the last two lines of the chorus, hoping that Clarke would understand. The blonde’s gaze softened as she watched her girlfriend play and she gave her a small nod.

_“And when I’m home curled in your arms_  
_And I’m safe again_  
_I’ll close my eyes and sleep, sleep  
_ _To the sound of London rain.”_

Clarke wiped away the tears that had sprung to her eyes. As the two always did when performing for each other, Lexa had picked the song perfectly, the lyrics saying what she could not. But they _could_ say it now. They _had_ said it. And yet, with how they had begun and how they’d come together, the music made the words mean more.

_“So keep me in your bed all day, all day._  
_Nothing heals me like you do.  
_ _Nothing heals me like you do.”_

Lexa had barely strummed the last chord when Clarke yanked her into a kiss, her tongue tracing the lyrics on the inside of the brunette’s mouth. They continued on like this with the guitar stuck between them until Clarke’s phone rang, signalling the arrival of pizza. The blonde set a speed record for retrieval, somehow managing to sprint back up the dorm stairs balancing a pizza box with a bottle of soda under one arm.

Not much was said as they ate their dinner, most of their conversation held in smiles and shared glances. “Hey, you’ve got a little sauce on your lip,” Clarke noted at one point.

“Huh? Where?”

“Right there,” Clarke smirked, leaning forward and licking the drop of tomato sauce from her girlfriend’s upper lip.

The pizza nearly met a gruesome end on the floor as Clarke and Lexa dove back into bed for round two.

“Hey, we’ve got the two best things in the world,” the blonde realized when they lay tangled in each other’s arms, sweaty and sated.

“What, pizza and sex?” Lexa inquired.

“Well, sex with you specifically.”

“Flatterer,” Lexa grinned, drawing Clarke in for a kiss.

They kissed languidly for a while before pulling back to curl around each other. “Lexa?” Clarke whispered into her girlfriend’s hair.

“Mm?” Lexa murmured against the blonde’s neck.

“I’m _really_ glad I let my friends drag me to open mic night.”

Lexa burst out laughing. “I’m glad Anya dragged me there, too,” she replied with a kiss to Clarke’s shoulder. _“Now close your eyes and sleep, sleep to the sound of London rain,”_ she sang.

“Only if you’ll keep me in your bed all day – well, night,” Clarke chuckled.

“Always,” Lexa murmured, already half-asleep, warm and safe. _“Nothing heals me like you do.”_

***

Clarke had always wondered why it called the Walk of Shame. She was downright proud and giddy as she made her way back to her dorm the next morning, guitar in hand. If she had her way, she’d be doing a similar walk the next morning, too.

When the blonde reached her room, she unlocked and opened the door as quietly as she could, hoping she wouldn’t wake Octavia. She froze in place when she saw that the brunette was already awake, a knowing smirk on her face.

“So, on a scale of one to ten, how was it? ‘Cause your neck is screaming eleven.”

Eyes widening, Clarke stumbled to her closet mirror, practically throwing her guitar across her desk. Sure enough, her neck was dotted with hickeys and, if she pulled the collar of her shirt back, an unmistakable bite mark. But far from being mortified, Clarke found herself grinning proudly. “Better make it a twelve,” the blonde smirked back at Octavia, making the younger girl cackle as Clarke flopped back on her bed.

“So is she as good with her fingers as her guitar skills suggest?” Octavia teased.

“ _So_ much better,” Clarke groaned, and Octavia fake retched at the lustful satisfaction in her friend’s voice.

“Ok, I don’t need to hear _that_ many details.” Her smirk became a fond smile. “I’m happy for you, Clarke.”

Clarke’s own smile was so full of joy that Octavia was nearly blinded. “Me too, O. Me too.”

The sentimental moment didn’t even last ten seconds before Octavia had leaped off her bed and bolted out the door. “Hey Raven, guess _what_?” Clarke heard from across the hall. The blonde groaned again, this time in exasperation. She was in for days of merciless teasing – probably from Anya, too.

But, remembering with a grin how Lexa had writhed and cried out beneath her, Clarke decided it was more than worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Lexa plays is "London Rain," by Heather Nova. This story's going to have one more chapter and then an epilogue. I know it's short, but it was never meant to be an epic saga. Just a lot of musical fluff.


	9. I Can't See Me Loving Nobody But You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. School's been kicking my butt. This is the last chapter but there's going to be an epilogue to tie things up and deliver an overdose of fluff. I'm putting another song link in the middle of the chapter as it's worth a listen in relation to the dialogue. The chapter title once again comes from "So Happy Together" by The Turtles.

_Three Months Later_

Normally Lexa was more than happy to wake up to her girlfriend’s delightful tongue between her thighs, but on that particular morning she groaned and rolled to the side. “Not now, Clarke.”

“Sorry.” The blonde placed a soft kiss on her hip before crawling back up the bed to spoon Lexa from behind. “You ok?”

Lexa sighed. “I’m…nervous. Thinking.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

The brunette didn’t answer, instead turning in Clarke’s arms so they were face-to-face. After worrying her lip for a moment, she blurted, “Stay with me and Anya this summer.”

Clarke frowned in confusion. “I thought I was in July.”

“No, I mean… _all_ summer. You can still stay with your parents for a bit and visit them on weekends and stuff,” she laid out her argument.

The blonde smirked. “I can’t imagine Anya being thrilled about listening to us through the walls every night.”

Lexa smirked right back. “Anya already informed me that she’d be spending as much ‘quality time’ with Raven as she possibly can. We’ll have the run of the place more often than not. I mean, only if it’s all right with you,” she added, nervous again.

Clarke beamed at her girlfriend and pulled her into a kiss that filled them both with warmth. “Of course I’ll stay with you,” she agreed without hesitation. “I’ll stay the first week at my parents’ house to placate them and then I’ll spend the rest of the summer with you.”

Thrilled, Lexa kissed the blonde again, both of them smiling against each other’s lips. It didn’t take long for their movements to become heated.

“Ok, _now_ you can continue,” Lexa gasped, pushing gently on Clarke’s head. The blonde let out a peal of laughter as she kissed her way down the brunette’s chest and stomach.

***

“My parents are cool with me staying on the condition that I bring you over one weekend so they can finally meet you,” Clarke told Lexa as she hung up the phone.

“Deal,” the brunette smiled, but she noticed that Clarke’s responding smile didn’t meet her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Clarke sighed. “I’m…nervous. Thinking,” she repeated Lexa’s words from earlier with a quirk of her lips.

“About?” Lexa repeated in turn with a soft smile of her own.

“It’s about tonight…” the blonde began. Lexa moved forward and rubbed her hands up and down her girlfriend’s arms, encouraging her to continue. “Our jam sessions together have always been _our_ thing, and performing tonight…it just doesn’t seem right. I feel like we’re sharing ourselves with everyone and I don’t wanna share. I want to keep you to myself.”

Lexa chuckled and pulled Clarke into a hug. “I’ll always be yours, Clarke. And performing _is_ kind of about sharing ourselves. But our Monday afternoons will still be ours, just you and me playing and laughing together. And maybe making out a little.” This evoked the giggle the brunette was hoping for.

“Ok,” the blonde relented. “I trust you.”

“It’ll be just like open mic except this time we get a whole night to ourselves.”

Clarke’s grin was genuine this time. “Say that to me again in the bedroom,” she teased.

Lexa laughed and pulled the blonde into a kiss. They easily lost themselves in each other but were interrupted by the door to Clarke’s room banging open.

“A’right, bitches, you ready?” Octavia asked, so used to walking in on them making out that she didn’t even blink. Raven and Anya followed, smirks on their faces as they watched Clarke and Lexa cuddle.

“As we’ll ever be,” Clarke sighed, though it was a happy sort of sigh. She reluctantly disentangled herself from her girlfriend so the two of them could grab their guitars and head out.

“How the hell did you manage to convince the owner of Grounders to give you a whole night to yourselves during student week, anyway?” Raven asked as Octavia locked the door behind them and they headed out of the dorm building.

“Emphasis on ‘student week,’” Clarke replied.

“And it’s not like we haven’t been at every open mic since January or anything,” Lexa quipped.

“Point,” Raven ceded.

“Do you at least have a new set prepared?” Anya queried.

“Trust me, they do, though it’s not new to me and Raven anymore,” Octavia groaned.

“Shut up,” Clarke and Lexa chorused, making the other three snicker. “Just be good little groupies and cheer us on, would you?” Clarke continued.

“Sure thing,” Octavia promised. “And then once we’re drunk enough we can go around bragging about how we knew you before you were famous.”

The two guitarists’ groans of exasperation mingled with their friends’ laughter as they made their way to Grounders.

***

To Clarke and Lexa’s surprise, Grounders was fairly packed, though that could be because it was a Thursday and all the local students would be heading home for the weekend on Friday evening. Both girls surreptitiously scanned the crowd as they tuned their guitars, picking out a lot of familiar faces from open mic night.

“At least we know we’ve got people on our side,” Clarke muttered to Lexa before gazing at her in earnest. “You ready?”

Lexa let out a slow breath and nodded. Turning up the volume on her guitar, Lexa began slapping out the first few notes of “Dueling Guitars.” A few people paused their conversations to watch the stage as Lexa played through the first part of the opening. Clarke came in with her part, and then the two began the call and response part of the song. More people turned their heads at the back-and-forth downward chord progressions, then even more turned as Clarke and Lexa played the chord progression together, speeding up before bursting into the main melody of the song. By the time the two had reached the second downward progression, the entire audience was captivated, listening with startled admiration for the girls’ skill. Striking the last chord and stilling their strings, Clarke and Lexa smiled out to the audience, cueing their applause.

“Hi everyone,” Clarke began with a shy wave once the applause had died down. “A lot of you have seen us at open mic night, but for those of you who haven’t, I’m Clarke, and that’s Lexa.”

The brunette spoke next. “And we couldn’t think of a good band name so we just smashed our names together and made ‘Clexa.’” The audience laughed and the girls shot each other relieved glances at their amusement. “Anyway, we’re gonna play you a bunch of awesome songs tonight.”

“Right, so [we’ll only need four chords](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pidokakU4I),” Clarke piped up.

Lexa shot her a glance of exaggerated suspicion. “What are you talking about?”

The blonde looked at her girlfriend with faux innocence. “Well…all the best mainstream songs only have four chords.”

Those in the audience familiar with the group Axis of Awesome snickered with delight while everyone else looked on curiously. “I thought we said no pre-gaming before the concert,” Lexa chided.

“No, I’m serious! Here, listen.” Clarke began the opening chords for “Don’t Stop Believing.” “You know this song, right?”

The brunette rolled her eyes. “ _Everyone_ knows this song, Clarke. That’s _one song_.”

 _“My life is brilliant, my love is pure,”_ her girlfriend sang. _“I saw an angel, of that I’m sure.”_

“Ok, two songs…” Lexa argued cautiously.

_“Forever young, I wanna be forever young.”_

“Three songs…”

 _“I won’t hesitate no more, no more. It cannot wait, I’m yours,”_ Clarke continued. Everyone in the audience was starting to giggle.

The blonde went through three more songs before Lexa shrugged and joined in. _“And can you feel the love tonight?”_

The two girls continued their rendition of “The Four Chord Song,” incorporating songs from all three versions and carrying on for nearly ten minutes. By the time they reached the end the audience was in hysterics and the applause was twice as loud as it was for their opener. Grinning, the two girls gave a sort of half bow on their stools before launching into “I’m Gonna Be.”

The concert carried on for almost three hours with a fifteen minute break in the middle to give Clarke and Lexa a chance to rest and grab some water. Sometimes they played together and other times they took turns. Lexa looked on fondly as Clarke performed “I Will Wait” and Clarke giggled along with the rest of the audience as Lexa cheerfully sang “The Assumption Song.” The brunette’s later rendition of Halsey’s “Young God” bowled over the crowd and left more than a few people eyeing Lexa with more appreciation than Clarke was comfortable with.

“They know you’re mine, right?” the blonde growled to her girlfriend during the intermission and her possessiveness made Lexa blush and giggle.

Their second-to-last song was a sing-along to “Little Lion Man” that had everyone participating. “This is our last song,” Clarke announced after the applause had died down, provoking a sad “aw” from the audience. The blonde paused, not sure if she wanted to share the significance of the song with the crowd. Feeling Lexa’s foot nudge her leg, she looked up at her girlfriend to find understanding in her gaze, smiling as she plucked out the first few notes. Smiling in return, her heart a little lighter, Clarke joined in with her part, the two guitars harmonizing in an upbeat air.

 _“Imagine me and you, I do,”_ the blonde began.  
_“I think about you day and night, it’s only right_  
_To think about the girl you love and hold her tight,  
__So happy together.”_

Lexa took the next lines. _“If I should call you up, invest a dime_  
_And say that you belong to me, to ease my mind,_  
_Imagine how the world could be so very fine,  
__So happy together.”_

They sang the chorus together, to each other, the crowd around them inconsequential. In that moment, it was just Clarke and Lexa invoking the first song Lexa had heard Clarke play that night they’d met each other’s eyes for only a second. They never imagined that that second would lead them here, to this; now they couldn’t imagine what life would have been like without each other.

_“Me and you, and you and me._  
_No matter how we toss the dice, we’re meant to be._  
_The only one for me is you and you for me,_  
_So happy together…_  
_So happy together…_  
_How is the weather?  
_ _So happy together….”_


End file.
